Discover Aa en Hunze: cycling routes, heathland and megalithic tombs

Aa en Hunze can be explored via a range of routes and landscapes: walks pass streams, hedgerows and traces of history, while several cycling routes take in megalithic tombs, windmills or churches. The landscape itself also offers a variety of scenery—from heathland and forests to streams and meadows. Gasselterveld is open for day visits from sunrise to sunset. Access rules may change seasonally or for safety reasons.

Walking from Anloo and Deurze

Two walking routes of clearly different lengths start in Anloo: the “Anlooër Diepje” route is 11 kilometres long, while the “Strubben Kniphorstbosch” route is 9 kilometres long. The first route is therefore two kilometres longer. A walk along the Anloërdiepje also starts and ends in Anloo, following easy-to-walk paths along its western and eastern banks. The stream itself meanders past Anloo through a landscape of old hedgerows and hay meadows.

Another short walk starts at the “Huis van de Drentsche Aa” or Bistro Aa in Deurze and follows a 2.3-kilometre route along the Aardkundig Monument (Geological Monument). The Drentsche Aa stream system has been designated an “Aardkundig Monument” at the Deurzerdiep in the municipality of Aa en Hunze. For those who want to read the landscape as they walk, this is an explicitly geological point of interest along the route.

Heathland, stream landscapes and traces of the past

Balloërveld is a heathland area in Aa en Hunze, with bog pools, pine forest and small areas of drifting sand. Alongside the open sand and heathland, you can see burial mounds and medieval cart tracks. A flock of sheep can be seen with the shepherd every day, although its daily presence may vary. The different features make Balloërveld both a landscape to explore and a place where traces of the past remain visible.

“Duunsche Landen” also combines geology and nature. The area is one of the 85 hotspots in the De Hondsrug Geopark; the surrounding natural landscape provides a habitat for badgers, beavers, harebells and pussytoes. The deflation basin at “Duunsche Landen” is the largest in Drenthe and measures more than a kilometre in diameter. The UNESCO Global Geopark De Hondsrug stretches across the provinces of Drenthe and Groningen, includes seven municipalities, including Aa en Hunze, and encompasses the stream valleys of the Drentsche Aa and the Hunze.

For a route combining landscape and cultural history, “Langs de Aa en de strubben” follows the Drentsche Aa and the unspoilt Anlooërdiep, and passes through De Strubben and Kniphorstbosch. Along the way are megalithic tombs, burial mounds and the oldest church in Drenthe. This walking route thus brings together a stream landscape and historic sites along a single trail.

Cycling routes with different themes

When cycling, you can compare the route lengths and the sights mentioned along the way. The “Steengoed Rondje” is 38.4 kilometres long and passes 11 megalithic tombs in Aa en Hunze. The 26-kilometre “Aanstreekelijk Aa en Hunze – route 2” passes apiaries, farm shops, the largest flock of sheep and a milk vending station. Individual stops may change; check the route information before setting out.

“Langs Torens en Wieken” comprises two varied cycling routes, each around 50 kilometres long. They pass various windmills and churches, including the centuries-old Magnuskerk in Anloo. By contrast, the “Steengoed Rondje” highlights megalithic tombs, while “Aanstreekelijk Aa en Hunze” includes various local stops. You can use the route lengths and themes described to decide what kind of cycling trip appeals to you.

Local information points and things to do

Smart Owl information points in Aa en Hunze provide local information about businesses, walking, cycling and horse-riding routes, and places of tourist interest. The Drentsche Aa National Park and the Hondsrug UNESCO Global Geopark are also among the topics covered. This information complements the specific route descriptions with guidance on other topics and places to visit.

Fruitbedrijf en Landwinkel de Marwijkshof offers regional produce, a pick-your-own garden, a corn maze and a terrace. Check the current offerings and visiting arrangements before your visit. At the starting point of the “Natuurlijk rondje Gasselternijveen” route, at Baptistenkade 32 in Gasselternijveen, visitors can park and enjoy coffee, tea, pastries or an extensive high tea. Here, too, it is advisable to check the offerings and opening hours before travelling.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Gasselte, Grolloo, Nieuwediep, Schoonloo, Gasselternijveen, Anderen, Nooitgedacht, Vredenheim, Rolde, Gieten, Anloo, Annen, Nijlande, Balloo, Papenvoort, Gieterveen, Eext, Eexterzandvoort.

For the regional travel overview: Drenthe.